The Freedom Corps
by RebelGirl13
Summary: Percy and Annabeth have found each other, but they still haven't found the answers. The Freedom Corps seems to be the key to Percy's dad, as well as Annabeth's mysterious locket. When the secret organization itself is pulled into a sinister plot, both Annabeth and Percy must make a decision. Stay with the Freedom Corps at great personal risk, or spend eternity not knowing? Sequal.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the sequel to my Percy Jackson story "Ghost Girl". If you haven't read it, please do so before you read this. Things are about to get... confusing.**

**Prologue**

* * *

Sally put her hand over her mouth. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. A nightmare. She subconsciously pinched herself, feeling like she was going to throw up. "What does it say?" she whispered.

Her husband, Paul, looked up from the letter in his hand warily. Sally could tell he wasn't sure how to read the letter without making her cry, which she would anyways. She grabbed it from his hand before he could answer and began to read her son's untidy scrawl.

* * *

_Dear Family,_

_This is pretty hard to write. I'm not sure where to start._

_I'm running away, right now, as you read this._

_First, Mom. I'm so sorry. Really, I am. But Annabeth and I... we found out some stuff. We found out about the Freedom Corps, about Dad. Annabeth's connected, somehow. We don't know how. That's why I had to leave. I have to find out for her, and for me. About Dad- I think he's still alive. I don't know if you knew or not. If you did, I'll try not to be too mad at you. If you didn't, well... Things were implied. We visited Zeus in New York and he told us. (Don't try and talk to him about us. It's not worth the effort.)_

_Now, Paul. Look, you've been awesome. You're a really great guy, and you make my mom happy, so I'm glad you married her. But my dad should have been a part of these last few years, and he wasn't. I hope you understand why I have to find him._

_And Tyson- Don't worry, buddy. When I find Dad, I'll make him come see you. Just try and help Mom out. Be strong for her. I don't think she'll take it too well._

_Lastly, Annabeth- and before you get angry and shred the paper, just hear me out. I'm going to find out what your part in all of this is, I swear. I'll find your parents, too. Just don't hate me. I didn't want to go, but I had to. Stay out of trouble, Ghost Girl. And don't forget me._

_I'm sorry. I couldn't keep being in the dark. I have to find out where Dad is, maybe see him a little. I've known he was alive this whole time. It was a feeling, like you couldn't get rid of him if you tried. And it's not like you guys will never see me again. I promise, I'll call you and check in with you as soon as I can. I just needed to get away, that's all. I need to know. I need answers. And please don't try to find me. I have to do this._

_I love you all. Please don't forget that._

_-Percy_

* * *

Sally lowered the paper, her jaw slack and her eyes unfocused. Her throat made a strangled kind of noise as she set the paper down on the counter. She wasn't going to cry. Not yet. Not when there was still hope. "His cell phone, we can use that to track him. Do you know if-"

Sally trailed off as Paul looked down and held up Percy's cell phone in his hand. "It was on his bed," he said apologetically.

"Was there anything else in his room?" Sally questioned, moving towards the phone.

"No, and... well, there's something else I need to tell you."

She spun around. "What is it?" she said sharply.

Paul took a deep breath. "Annabeth's gone too. I think she went with Percy, or after him. They both must have left in the night."

Sally almost couldn't breathe as she picked up the phone. "I'm calling 9-1-1."

She began to dial the numbers in, but suddenly Paul was by her side, sliding the phone from her grip. "Sally," he said quietly. "Percy said he didn't want to be found. He said this is something he has to do, and I think he's right."

She could feel her heart breaking in her chest. "It's not right to let a 16-year-old boy wander off by himself into the world."

"He might have Annabeth with him," Paul pointed out. "And Sally... he's 17."

Sally's eyes widened. It was August 18th. Percy's birthday. She finally released the sob that had been scratching at her throat since she read the first words of the letter. She leaned on Paul and he hugged her, not seeming to mind the flood of tears on his t-shirt.

It hurt her chest. Her cheeks felt sticky and crusted from the already dried tears, like she had a face mask on. And the worst part was, she knew that Paul was right. This was something that Percy had to figure out on his own. It was her fault for keeping it from him all these years. At least the odds would be in his favor if Annabeth was with him. Sally couldn't think of any other explanation as to where the girl had gone.

What a team, those two. Sally almost smiled. If anyone could help Percy, it would be Annabeth, and vice versa.

"Mommy?" Sally felt Paul stiffen. They pulled out of their hug and turned to find Tyson at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes were wide, and he looked much too frightened in his pajamas than any little boy should have been. "Why did you cry?" His small voice rang out so shakily that Sally was afraid he had something in his throat.

She and Paul exchanged worried glances. Her own worried question was mirrored in his eyes. How are we going to tell him? She looked back into Tyson's face and was sure that more tears where yet to come.

_Percy,_ she thought. _Wherever you are, please. Come home soon._

* * *

**So, that was the prologue! It was short, I know, but whatever. There will be rather large gaps in between updates, but I am in school now, and I already have an essay to work on.**

**-Rebel**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

"Okay, so... you know how to do this, right?" said Percy. "Because I'm totally confused."

Annabeth sighed as she proceeded to make a transaction from the ATM. It was lucky that Percy had an emergency credit card. It was rather unlucky for him that he didn't know how to use it. He had her, however, and she considered herself to be somewhat skilled in the art of pushing a card into a slot and pressing a few buttons. "Typical," she muttered, smiling.

Once they had their money, they headed back to the food court. They had finally made it to Miami. It had taken 3 long days with a lot of noisy bus rides and very little sleep, but Annabeth didn't regret any of it. It had been rather exhilarating to step into the warm chaos of the Miami Bus Terminal.

"So, what's the plan, Captain?" said Annabeth, handing him the money.

Percy blinked. "Captain?"

"Would you prefer 'Seawood Brain'?" she suggested.

"Um, no. Percy's fine."

"Or, I could call you 'Kelp-Head'. That has a nice ring to it."

"Annabeth," Percy groaned, nudging her.

She laughed and held onto his arm. "Let's just go get something to eat."

Annabeth almost stopped moving as her growling stomach reminded her where they were. That's right. They had come to Miami, a huge city, without any clue how to find the Freedom Corps. Remembering this put something of a damper on her spirits. She instinctively clutched her locket, which felt warm in her palm.

Percy turned back to look at her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Annabeth blinked a few times and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, let's go."

They walked to the closest street corner cafe and picked an outside table. Annabeth fished a large paper out of her backpack and spread it out on the table while Percy went to go get coffee and pizza. When Annabeth had questioned his food combination, he had just grinned and said "You never know until you try it!"

When he got back, he handed her her food and sat down. "A map, huh? Good thinking."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Yes, it would make sense to use a map to find a certain place, don't you think? Now, I was thinking that we should look for buildings on the map with names that might have something to do with the Corps. You know, codes, anagrams, anything like that."

Percy scratched his head. "This is supposed to be a top-secret government agency. Do you really think they'd make it easy enough to find that two teenagers could do it?"

"No," Annabeth said quietly. "But we haven't got any other leads, so we might as well start here."

Percy opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again. His eyes were unreadable. He seemed to be realizing just how unprepared they were. But he still smiled. "Come on, cheer up!" he said, sitting down. "We're in Miami! We know exactly what city this base or headquarters or whatever is been. Now we just have to find it, like a sort of... hunt. It could be so much worse."

Annabeth sighed and rested her head on her hand. "I know. The whole situation just seems a bit precarious to me."

They spent hours looking at the map, circling different buildings with red marker and making huge X's over the parts where it couldn't possibly be. After the fifth coffee, Percy seemed to be ready to give up. Annabeth was sweating and her clothes were sticking uncomfortably to her skin.

She thought back to their meeting with Zeus. _Is there something he said that could have been some kind of hint, something I missed?_ she wondered.

* * *

_Zeus suddenly seemed very interested in the face of his desk. "I can't believe I'm about to tell you this," he murmured. "But... go to Miami. Miami, Florida. There's a base there. If you can find it, they'll tell you everything you need to know. About the Freedom Corps, about your father, about the locket, everything."_

* * *

"Ugh!" She closed her eyes. "What am I missing here?"

The two people at the table next to them distracted her. She stopped ranting to listen for a minute. It seemed to be two police men, discussing a recent chain of robberies.

"You know as well as I do, it's the same people. Every description was matched, and every scenario exactly the same."

A sigh. "I know, Jim, but the Chief is convinced that there's something bigger going on here. It all has to be connected somehow, and-"

Annabeth's eyes snapped open. She stopped listening to the two police officers.

"What is it?" said Percy uncertainly.

"Connected," Annabeth breathed, her hands slowly unclasping the locket from her neck. She held it in her palm. "Give me the marker," she demanded.

Percy obliged. Annabeth set the locket gently down on the table and began to draw. She drew curved line after curved line, every swirl and angle exactly precise. When she was done she held up her locket triumphantly. "This is it!" She declared excitedly, nearly bouncing up and down.

Percy's jaw was nearly dropped, making Annabeth smile a little smugly. On the map, she had connected every X and circled building into a pattern of swirls and twists. She had used the markings to draw the Freedom Corps symbol, and atthe very center, a small plot of land fit perfectly.

"Not just anyone could find it, remember?" she explained. "Only someone with a connection to the Corps. And look at this." She shook the paper, her newly gray eyes glittering with pride.

Percy grinned and shook his head. "You, my friend... Are a genius."

"And you're just now realizing it?" she laughed. "Now, what's in the center?"

"Um... A baseball stadium?" said Percy, whose eyebrows were furrowed.

"You mean... The base to a secret official government society is a baseball diamond?" Annabeth said incredulously. She turned to get a better look at the map, in the process brushing against Percy's arm. He didn't seem to mind, and neither did she. It was almost... comfortable. And she was glad.

"Let's go," she breathed. "Let's go find the Freedom Corps."

* * *

**Blah. School. I won't even try to explain.**

**Also, a few of you have asked if I will continue to be doing theme songs. The answer is no, seeing as I want to try something new. For The Freedom Corps, leave a review and tell me your favorite scene (and the page numbers) from any of the PJO or HOO books! Quotes would be preferable, but if you can't summarize the amazingness with less than an explanation, I understand. :)**

**If you want to know more about updates and such, my tum-blr is rebelgirl131. I usually give fair warning there.**

**AND OMG HOUSE OF HADES IS CURRENTLY BEING READ BY YOURS TRULY.**

**-Rebel**


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